A New Red Panda Pair

Thursday, February 12, 2015

by Lincoln Park Zoo

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The lead-up to Valentine’s Day is a great time to announce Lincoln Park Zoo’s newest pair—two red pandas at the Kovler Lion House.

3-year-old male Phoenix and 5-year-old female Leafa now share an exhibit on the building’s south side. They made their debut last Friday and have been quick to explore their new habitat, climbing the rockwork and scooping up plenty of bamboo to fuel the species’ unique diet.

Male red panda Phoenix climbs up into his new home at the Kovler Lion House. Photo by Jill Dignan.

The red pandas came to us from the Houston Zoo as part of a breeding recommendation from the Red Panda Species Survival Plan® (SSP), a shared conservation effort by zoos throughout North America. Their match hasn’t produced any offspring yet, but our caregivers report that Phoenix is already showing interest in his mate as we head into a new breeding season. We’re keeping our fingers crossed for the possibility of some vulnerable—and adorable—cubs.

Female red panda Leafa looks down at some bamboo to eat. Photo by Jill Dignan.

Phoenix and Leafa’s arrival highlights the effort that goes into finding the right match for zoo animals. What you may not know, though, is that Lincoln Park Zoo’s experts serve as the primary matchmakers.

The Population Management Center for the Association of Zoos and Aquariums is headquartered at Lincoln Park Zoo. Our team of scientists there analyzes family trees and space availability to recommend moves and matches intended to keep zoo populations healthy for decades to come. They’ve made more than 100,000 recommendations since 2000…including the one that brought Leafa and Phoenix to the Kovler Lion House.

The Red Panda SSP is one of dozens we participate in, covering wildlife from cinereous vultures to western lowland gorillas. That doesn’t mean every SSP animal is here to breed. It’s also important to provide homes for animals whose genes are already well represented in zoo populations.

The October 2012 birth of baby gorilla Patty came about thanks to a Population Management Center breeding recommendation in tandem with the Gorilla Species Survival Plan.

Given the emphasis on matchmaking this time of year, though, it’s nice to point out that we’re pros at it. We’re even featuring an inside look at the myths of animal matchmaking with tonight’s Wine & Wildlife lecture. But if you can’t fit that into your schedule, stop by soon to see Leafa and Phoenix at the Kovler Lion House. And keep your fingers crossed that nature—as planned—takes its course.